Enhancing the nation's public health information infrastructure: a report from the ACMI symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed multiple weaknesses in the nation's public health system. Therefore, the American College of Medical Informatics selected Rebuilding the Nation's Public Health Informatics Infrastructure as the theme for its annual symposium. Experts in biomedical informatics and public health discussed strategies to strengthen the US public health information infrastructure through policy, education, research, and development. This article summarizes policy recommendations for the biomedical informatics community postpandemic. First, the nation must perceive the health data infrastructure to be a matter of national security. The nation must further invest significantly more in its health data infrastructure. Investments should include the education and training of the public health workforce as informaticians in this domain are currently limited. Finally, investments should strengthen and expand health data utilities that increasingly play a critical role in exchanging information across public health and healthcare organizations.

Automated summary

The American College of Medical Informatics focused on rebuilding the nation's public health informatics infrastructure as a response to the weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies discussed by experts included policy, education, research, and development to strengthen the US public health information infrastructure. Policy recommendations for the biomedical informatics community postpandemic were summarized, emphasizing the need for perceiving health data infrastructure as a matter of national security, investing more in its development and education, and enhancing health data utilities.